pathogenesis
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pathogenesis
From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; see origin at patho-, -genesis
Explanation
The medical term pathogenesis means the source of a disease. Your doctor might guess that the pathogenesis of your ear infection was a bad cold that caused congestion and swelling. If you ask your doctor, "How did I get chickenpox?" you're asking about the pathogenesis of an illness that gave you an itchy rash and a high fever. The word stems from the Greek pathos, "suffering or disease," and genesis, "origin." In medical terms, pathogenesis lays out the biological progression of a disease from its origin to the symptoms it caused that sent you to your doctor's office.
Vocabulary lists containing pathogenesis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Only recently, with a number of breakthroughs in the field, did people begin to believe that the vascular system is involved in AD pathogenesis," Norris says.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2025
These details can reveal how molecular interactions contribute to cellular functions, which is critical for advancing targeted therapies and understanding disease pathogenesis.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 26, 2024
To explore whether and how dietary zinc deficiency contributes to A. baumannii pathogenesis, the researchers established a mouse model of dietary zinc deficiency and acute A. baumannii pneumonia.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2024
The researchers emphasise that understanding the role of EBV in NPC's pathogenesis is crucial since the virus has 100% association with this cancer.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2024
Perhaps these statistical facts may lay a foundation for a study of the pathogenesis of these symptoms.
From The Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Volume 10 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
